Sham-a-Ling-Dong-Ding

The beautiful thing about music – and I’ve said it many times before – is there’s always something new to discover. The act of hearing a song for the first time, and having it make that instant connection right to the soul – that is why I am obsessed with music, and always on the search for that next gem – regardless of era or genre.

This song came to my attention from a Twitter update from Popdose’s Jason Hare – okay okay, his tweet! He had just watched Elvis Costello’s Spectacle show on Sundance, and one of the special guests was Jesse Winchester. Jesse is a Canadian folk artist (an American expatriate actually) who started out in the business over 40 years ago.

“Sham-A-Ling-Dong-Ding” is the song. It’s a newer one from Jesse actually, from his latest album – last year’s Love Filling Station. The song is a sentimental and nostalgic love song from the 65 year old , looking back through the years to the beginning of a love affair, and to the music that accompanied and nurtured them – and still does to this day.

Oh to have the talent to write a song like this. (watch Neko Case tear up next to him).

The boys were singing shing-a-ling
The summer night we met
You were tan and seventeen
O how could I forget
When every star from near and far
Was watching from above
Watching two teenagers fall in love

The way we danced was not a dance
But more a long embrace
We held on to each other and
We floated there in space
And I was shy to kiss you while
The whole wide world could see
So shing-a-ling said everything for me

And O the poor old old folks
They thought we’d lost our minds
They could not make heads or tails
Of the young folks’ funny rhymes
But you and I knew all the words
And we always sang along to
O sham-a-ling-dong-ding
Sham-a-ling-dang-dong

So after years and after tears
And after summers past
The old folks tried to warn us
How our love would never last
And all we’d get was soaking wet
From walking in the rain
And singing sham-a-shing-a-ling again

And O the poor old old folks
They smile and walk away
But I bet they did some
Sham-a-lama-ding-dong in their day
I bet that they still close their eyes
And I bet they sing along to
O sham-a-ling-dong-ding
Sham-a-ling-dang-dong

O those sweet old love songs
Every word rings true
Sham-a-ling-dong-ding means sweetheart
Sham-a-ling-dang-dong does too
And it means that right here in my arms
That’s where you belong
And it means sham-a-ling-dong-ding
Sham-a-ling-dang-dong

Det sätt vi dansade var inte en dans The way we danced was not a dance
Men mer en lång omfamning But more a long embrace
Vi höll på till varandra och We held on to each other and
Vi flöt där i rymden We floated there in space
Och jag var blyg för att kyssa dig när And I was shy to kiss you while
Hela vida världen kunde se The whole wide world could see
Så Shing-a-ling sagt allt för mig So shing-a-ling said everything for me

Och O den stackars gamla ålderdomshemmet And O the poor old old folks
De trodde att vi hade förlorat våra sinnen They thought we’d lost our minds
De kunde inte göra krona eller klave They could not make heads or tails
Av Young Folks “roliga rim Of the young folks’ funny rhymes
Men du och jag visste alla ord But you and I knew all the words
Och vi sjöng alltid med till And we always sang along to
O bluff-A-Ling-dong-ding O sham-a-ling-dong-ding
Sham-A-Ling-dang-dong Sham-a-ling-dang-dong

Så efter år och efter tårar So after years and after tears
Och efter somrar tidigare And after summers past
Den gamla folk försökte varna oss The old folks tried to warn us
Hur vår kärlek skulle aldrig sista How our love would never last
Och allt vi skulle få var dyblöt And all we’d get was soaking wet
Från att gå i regnet From walking in the rain
Och sjunga falskt-a-shing-a-ling igen And singing sham-a-shing-a-ling again

Och O den stackars gamla ålderdomshemmet And O the poor old old folks
De leende och går iväg They smile and walk away
Men jag bet de gjorde vissa But I bet they did some
Sham-a-lama-ding-dong i dag Sham-a-lama-ding-dong in their day
Jag slår vad om att de fortfarande blundar I bet that they still close their eyes
Och jag slår vad de sjunger med till And I bet they sing along to
O bluff-A-Ling-dong-ding O sham-a-ling-dong-ding
Sham-A-Ling-dang-dong Sham-a-ling-dang-dong